Winnipeg Jets go for fourth straight win against Montreal.

Winnipeg Jets vs Montreal Canadiens

6 p.m., Bell-MTS Place; TV: Sportsnet; Radio: TSN 1290

THE BIG MATCHUP

BEHIND THE MASKS

Normally you’d give the goaltending edge to the Habs. But with a struggling Carey Price sidelined by a lower-body ailment, old friend Al Montoya will be between the pipes for the Montreal, versus a hot Connor Hellebuyck for the Jets. Montoya was in goal for an 8-3 Habs win in Ottawa, Monday.

KEYS TO THE GAME

Jump on ’em early

The Jets have been dominant out of the gate so far, outscoring opponents 20-9 in first periods. Conversely, the Habs stumble off the start line, on the wrong end of a combined 22-13 count, which includes a 3-0 deficit in the opening 20 in Thursday’s 6-3 loss in Minnesota.

Keep those teams special

Winnipeg’s special teams are on the upswing, their penalty kill, 15 for its last 16, in particular. Two power-play goals in Thursday’s 5-2 win over Dallas provides hope the power play is also on the rise. Montreal has been dismal at both.

The “other” line

It’s great to have a line that’s hotter than a $5 pistol, but it’s better to have two. Mark Scheifele, Blake Wheeler and Kyle Connor can’t produce a hat trick every night, so Bryan Little, Nik Ehlers and Patrik Laine have to up their offensive game. Laine’s goal, Thursday, was just this unit’s second in five games. Little has just one goal in 12 games.

Trouble-free bottom six

Adam Lowry could return to centre the third or fourth line. But either way, if those two lines aren’t going to chip in with offence, they at least have to hold the fort. All six players turned in a clean sheet (even) in Thursday’s win. That should be enough on this night.

Silence the “crowd”

An appearance by Montreal always brings out the bleu-blanc-et rouge supporters by the hundreds, if not a thousand or two. There’s nothing like a lead to keep them out of the game, and keep the home crowd humming on a Saturday night.

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